1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cell assemblies, and more particularly to a collapsible electrochemical cell assembly and process for assembling an electrochemical battery assembly from a kit of collapsible electrochemical cells comprised of air cathodes and metal anodes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Metal/air batteries produce electricity by electrochemically coupling in a cell a reactive metallic anode to an air cathode through a suitable electrolyte. As is well known in the art, an air cathode is typically a sheet-like member having opposite surfaces respectively exposed to the atmosphere and to an aqueous electrolyte of the cell, in which (during cell operation) atmospheric oxygen dissociates while metal of the anode oxidizes providing a usable electric current flow through external circuitry connected between the anode and the cathode. The air cathode must be permeable to air, but substantially hydrophobic (so that an aqueous electrolyte will not seep or leak through it), and must incorporate an electrically-conductive element for external circuitry.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,482 to Hamlen et al. and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, there is disclosed a metal/air battery having a plurality of series-connected cells including a tank for holding a body of liquid electrolyte. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,529 also to Hamlen et al. and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, there is disclosed a battery-powered light source comprising an electric light bulb, pairs of metal/air electrodes wherein each metal/air electrode pair is enclosed in a chamber of a housing for subsequent receipt of an electrolyte.
In both such systems, the cell and/or battery tanks and/or housings are a fixed structure for the liquid electrolyte and thus are rigid with the dry storage volume and electrolyte fill volumes remaining substantially the same. Consequently, the storage and shipment of such rigid battery tanks and/or housing are of an excess volume as a result of the fixed volume thereof.